Strike Action Looms Over Pay Inequality At Chivas Bottling Plant

Friday, August 4, 2017

Strike action looms over pay inequality at Chivas bottling plant

Workers at Chivas Brothers Kilmalid bottling plant in Dumbarton will undertake a one day strike action next week over an on-going pay inequality gap across the drink giant’s Scottish bottling operations.

Despite protracted negotiations at ACAS Chivas are refusing to bring forward a pay harmonisation date between its Kilmalid and Paisley bottling operations, with Kilmalid workers losing out by as much £896 a year.

GMB is calling for an end to the glaring pay gaps by backdating the implementation of harmonisation from July 2017, as opposed to the employer’s January 2018 target.

Strike action is scheduled to run from 6AM Monday 7 August until 7.30AM Tuesday 8 August.

GMB Scotland Organiser Louise Gilmour said: “Chivas has refused to resolve the outstanding issue of pay harmonisation between the Kilmalid and Paisley sites, despite repeated efforts by GMB to bring the employer back to the negotiating table.

The employer’s own figures clearly show pay detriments between occupations across its bottling operations at Kilmalid and Paisley, which are due to merge in 2019, and to delay equalising pay for another six months is patently unfair.

The priority of GMB is the defence of our members’ interests – and it is clear that Chivas are not providing members in Kilmalid with the proper recognition, reward and respect for their work and skills.

Our door will remain open until the 11th hour for the employer to return to negotiations but their stubborn refusal to address this clear problem on pay means strike action on Monday morning looks a certain.”